I’m in a little changing room on a Saturday morning putting on a new pair of jeans. I’m more irritated than normal because of the several layers of autumn clothing. Is this the start of anything new? There is a large dog peering at me with a bewildered face, wondering whether it is. Her first response is, “Yes, it is.”
More individuals are adopting dogs as a pet. The Kennel Club is one of the groups reporting an increase in puppy ownership as a result of this year’s Covid outbreak, which is projected to have 12.5 million canines in the UK this year..
The high street seems to be paying notice. Many local businesses, cafes, and restaurants, as well as well-known brands like Hobbycraft, Oliver Bonas, and Cath Kidston, have welcomed dogs for years, despite the fact that assistance dogs have the right to visit most places…
Everything is fresh to them. In response to customer feedback, John Lewis began allowing non-assistance dogs inside its stores in 2019, while Wilko has been testing the technique in four different locations since July of last year..
“Unnecessary and outdated” is how the new head of Beacon describes the previous restriction on dogs on leashes. Eastbourne, Sussex, is where I’m located…
As many as 2,300 British businesses have been categorized as dog-friendly on dogfriendly.co.uk’s database, an increase of 10% over the previous summer. Are shops dog-friendly, and what happens if anything goes wrong?
The flat-coated retriever Calisto and I will be visiting Cambridge, a city that seems to have an abundance of dog-friendly enterprises, so we’ve decided to make the trip. My approach to life differs from hers because I’m more concerned with the pragmatism of a certain circumstance. Even while you should never leave her outside of a company alone, going to the shop after your stroll is a gift. In addition, a dog is an integral part of the family and should not be considered an optional addition…
Our first stop is Seasalt Cornwall, a clothing retailer based in the United Kingdom. It seems Calisto is already sipping from a water dish outside the business.
There is something about Calisto’s reaction when he sees a dog that makes him smile. She hides her face under a tunic as I look for patterned dresses. She starts pulling at the toe of the socks as soon as I put them in front of her. The drop-it method had been practiced, but this was something I hadn’t anticipated to be involved in…
A pair of jeans pique my interest and I’m unsure whether we can or should give it a go. My final option is to use the toilet with Calisto. Only her tail can be seen poking out from behind the curtain, just barely visible. As I get dressed for the day, she notices a receipt left behind by another client.
As a result, a pair of socks that cost £6.50 were left behind because they had been covered in dog saliva and were too nasty to be placed back on the stand…
On Trinity Street stands Heffers, a Cambridge institution since 1876 and part of the Blackwell’s group.
Although the number of dog owners has increased since Sarah Whyley became literary department manager in 2011, she has yet to see any dog-related mishaps, not even a torn-up book one…
Puddles, on the other hand, are a whole other matter. In the children’s area, “there would be more of them.” At the company, there is also an employee’s guide dog who comes to work with him. Whyley says that ‘he happily sits with his toys under her desk’…
With all the bookcases all around his home, this should be a piece of cake for Calisto. Undoubtedly — for the time being, at any rate. She discreetly peruses a large number of shelves. It’s a lucky coincidence that Calisto is also searching for a book. The floor is littered with a small book of war poetry, most likely dropped by a different browser. As quickly as a split second, Calisto and the little book start battling and the book is left for dead…
Apologizing for my part in the fight, I hurry over to the desk and reach for my wallet in the process. The $3.99 fee and a furious lecture are replaced with a wide smile. Because “we appreciate having dogs here,” says the employee at the cash register, there is a risk of letting dogs inside the business. “It’s all right,” she says…
Finally, we’re at Modish, a Green Street shoe shop that’s run by an independent designer. Because Calisto is such a shoe nut, I’ve saved this one for last. It’s the laces of my partner’s trainers that she likes to play with her teeth. Calisto seems to be an angel since her shoes are new. Her serene demeanor is punctuated by occasional sniffs.
Sarah Decent, the business’s owner, tells me she hasn’t experienced a dog-related nightmare while running the establishment.
If there is a lot of uncertainty in the world, decent is philosophical. After all, “I suppose I’d have to take it on the chin,” she says. There are a surprising number of other merchants that feel the same way.
It seems that many places not only allow dogs but also appreciate them and are willing to either ignore or welcome an unanticipated smackeroo.
Generally speaking, Calisto and I think that dog-friendly companies are a big hit.
